Page 10 of Killer Knows Best (Fallon Baxter FBI Mystery #4)

10

SPECIAL AGENT FALLON BAXTER

T he FBI field office just outside of Denver holds all of the charm of a government correctional facility, and considering the nature of the beast, rightly so.

Jack, Buddy, and I fly up to the cyber analysis hub that sits one floor above the situation room and find Nikki looking as if she’s about to crash her head through the monitor in front of her.

The room is spacious, large enough to hold a tailgating party for the Denver Broncos. It’s relatively devoid of natural light and has enough computers and monitors to satisfy a space launch. The screens not in use are set to a red screensaver with the department’s logo over it and it gives this place a hellish appeal.

Nikki spins in her seat, revealing her countenance and clothes washed in the same crimson hue.

“Hey, baby,” she says as Buddy all but tackles her. “Who’s my little baby?” She lands a kiss on the tip of his nose before fishing out a handful of biscuits and dropping them to the floor. “Do I know how to take care of my men or what?”

“I’ve heard rumors,” Jack says as we each drop into an office chair on casters and glide in Nikki’s direction. The chairs provided are minimally padded with mesh backs, very little rocking action, and all of the above has always made me feel as if the department doesn’t want its agents lingering in them for too long.

“Oh honey, reality outshines every one of those rumors,” Nikki laughs as Buddy bounces her way once again and licks her face silly.

Thankfully, Nikki doesn’t mind. And thankfully, Buddy doesn’t make it a habit of licking just anyone silly. Personally, I prefer our nightly snuggling sessions to slobber.

“All right, you two,” Jack grumbles as he pulls out his laptop and I do the same while getting settled at the stainless counter that lines the wall of monitors skirting around the room. “It’s starting to feel like weeks since I’ve last been kissed like that.” He flashes a short-lived grin my way, but those bedroom eyes of his prove impossible to lose.

“Kissing me is a privilege, not a right,” I say, flashing my own short-lived grin, which I’m positive came out more of a frown at this point. I’m exhausted, and part of me meant to frown because of it.

“ What? ” Nikki gasps and bucks as if she’s just been shot. “Are you kidding me?” Her eyes do a frenetic dance between the two of us. “Oh my word! When did this happen?” she squawks and looks alarmingly happy about it, too.

“Last night. It’s new,” Jack says nonchalantly while scrolling through something on his screen. “What did you get on the victims?”

“Oh no, you don’t.” Nikki gives a throaty laugh as Buddy continues to jump-bark around her as if he, too, were giddy at the prospect. “This train isn’t moving forward until I get some down and dirty details.”

I cut her off with a flat hand. “Nope. You’re not getting the details, Knight. Focus.” I glance at Jack, who’s smirking in the way that’s infuriating and… okay, a little attractive. “It’s bad enough I have to work with him. Now I’ve got to deal with the fallout of a workplace romance rumor mill.”

Nikki cocks her head my way and I can tell she’s not getting back on track until I’ve given her something titillating to think about.

“Fine. We kissed, the end. What have you got on Delaney and Gwen?” I ask with as much enthusiasm as Jack just emitted. I’m not sure what that says about us in general.

“No way!” Nikki laughs so loud that three different agents poke their heads in the room just to make sure there’s not a situation brewing. “You kissed him?” Her mouth falls open as she gawks at me in this whole new light. “I want to see you do it.”

“What?” I inch back. “No way.”

“That’s right,” Jack says, nodding at me. “When we’re good and ready, we’ll be selling tickets to the main event.”

“I’ll grab my popcorn.” She laughs again. “And I’m not above paying a premium to see this either.”

“You’ll have to,” I say. “Our dead divas aren’t the only ones who know how to turn a profit while having a good time.”

“You think Jack will be a good time?” She hikes a brow as if genuinely amused.

“Am I shooting too high?”

“ Hey ”—Jack looks up from his screen—“I’m sitting right here.”

Nikki scoffs, “Not our fault if you’re eavesdropping on a little girl talk.” She winks my way. “I’ll fill you in on what I’ve heard later.”

Jack perks up again. “What did you hear?”

“A lot about our victims.” She barrels right into business.

And I couldn’t be more relieved.